Machine controller and method for controlling a machine

A method of operating a control device for a machine comprising at least one drive:

• generating, with a display device in the control device, a display of a first symbol in a first region of the display device;
• generating, with the display device, a display of a second symbol in a second region of the display device, the first symbol in the first region being separated from the second symbol in the second region by a predetermined distance, wherein the second symbol is a confirmation button;
• receiving, with a touch sensitive surface integrated with the graphical display, a first input from a user via the touch sensitive surface in response to simultaneous contact with a first hand of the user to the first symbol in the first region and contact with a second hand of the user to the second symbol in the second region;
• receiving, with the touch sensitive surface integrated with the graphical display, a second input from the user via the touch sensitive surface in response to simultaneous contact with a first hand of the user to the first symbol in the first region and contact with a second hand of the user to the second symbol in the second region;
• and transmitting, with a wireless transmitter in the control device, a command signal to activate the at least one drive in the machine only in response to the first input, the command signal comprising an identifier of the display device, and another command signal to continue the activation of the at least one drive in the machine only in response to the second input;
• and wherein the control device is configured to only transmit the command signal if the first symbol and the second symbol were touched in a predefined sequence.

A machine comprising:

• at least one drive;
• a control device, comprising:
• at least one input device comprising:
• a display device;
• and a touch sensitive surface integrated with the display device;
• a wireless transmitter;
• and the control device being configured to:
• generate a display of a first symbol in a first region of the display device;
• generate a display of a second symbol in a second region of the display device, the first symbol in the first region being separated from the second symbol in the second region by a predetermined distance, wherein the second symbol is a confirmation button;
• receive a first input from a user via the touch sensitive surface in response to simultaneous contact with a first hand of the user to the first symbol in the first region and contact with a second hand of the user to the second symbol in the second region;
• and receive a second input from the user via the touch sensitive surface in response to simultaneous contact with the first hand of the user to the first symbol in the first region and contact with the second hand of the user to the second symbol in the second region, the touch sensitive surface receiving the second input after the first input;
• wherein the control device is configured to transmit a command signal with the wireless transmitter to activate the at least one drive in the machine only in response to the first input, the command signal comprising an identifier of the display device, and another command signal to continue the activation of the at least one drive in the machine only in response to the second input;
• and wherein the control device is configured to only transmit the command signal if the first symbol and the second symbol were touched in a predefined sequence.